Safeguarding

How MindWise safeguards our service users

MindWise safeguards children and adults by committing to a ‘zero tolerance’ of abuse. 

We believe that safeguarding is everyone’s business and within MindWise this means all staff members, volunteers, members of the Board of Trustees and all those accessing and visiting our services have safeguarding responsibilities 

What is Safeguarding? 

Safeguarding includes everything that is done to PREVENT a person from experiencing abuse and PROTECT those who have experienced abuse when it is reported. 

What is Abuse? 

Abuse is mistreatment by any other person or persons that violates a person’s human and civil rights. The abuse can vary, from treating someone with disrespect in a way that significantly affects the person’s quality of life, to actual physical or mental suffering. 

Forms of abuse may include: 

• Physical Abuse 
• Sexual Abuse 
• Emotional / Psychological Abuse 
• Financial Abuse 

• Domestic Abuse and Control 

Abuse can also involve neglecting to do something which results in failing to meet care and support needs.  

Other forms of abuse include: 

• Grooming - gaining someone’s trust with the sole aim to carry out abuse 
• Exploitation – manipulating a person for financial, sexual or other gains  
• Discriminatory Abuse – whereby you are treated differently because of whom or what you are  

Abuse can be a one-off or happen repeatedly. 

What Does MindWise do to Prevent and Protect? 

We are committed to implementing the Co-operating to Safeguarding Children and Young People in Northern Ireland and Adult Safeguarding Operational Procedures NI. 

This includes a commitment to work in partnership with the Department for Health, the local Health & Social Care Trust and other organisations – including the police - where appropriate. 

We also have a Co-operating and Safeguarding Children and Adults Policy and Procedure in place.  

Our safeguarding cultures and practices include: effective: recruitment, training, risk management and learning and development strategies at every level in the organisation. 

We commit to learning from any safeguarding issues which arise and support our staff, volunteers, board members and clients to do the same.  

What if you have safeguarding concerns? 

You might experience abuse yourself or observe it happening to other people. Someone might tell you about abuse they are experiencing.  

You might also see certain behaviours which might become a safeguarding issue if they are happening often. For example, money being borrowed or someone manipulating another person to do what they want. 

Click below to download MindWise's Safeguarding Leaflet for how you can raise safeguarding concerns about our services.